Apparatus to coil springs from a strand of wire



Juy 4, E95@ H. c. R. CARLSN 2,513,9@

APPARATUS To con. SPRINGS FROM A STRAND oF WIRE Filed July 1e, 1949 3FIG. 2 28 242)'67 22 seas 37 29 JNVENToR.

Patented July 4, 1950 APPARATUS TO COIL SPRINGS FROM A STRAND WIREHarold C. n. oai-len, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 16, 1949, Serial No. 105,187

1 Claim.

This invention relates to apparatus for coillng l springs, and it is anobject of the invention to provide an apparatus adjustable to coildifferent types of 'coiled springs, such as compression, eX- tension andtorsion springs, either left hand or right hand wound as desired.

' It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of thischaracter adjustable to vary the pitch, length and diameter of thesprings and the number of closed coils at the opposite ends of thecompression springs coiled thereby.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be describedhereinafter.

The embodiment of the invention comprises a reciprocal carriageyieldingly retained in one extreme position and arranged to support andguide a strand of wire laterally thereof relative to an arbor releasablysupported by a coupling member adapted to be releasably mounted oneither of a pair of rotary shafts operatively connected to each other torotate in opposite directions.v The coupling member is arranged withamember to retain the lead end of the Wire strand on the arbor. from itsposition in which it is yieldingly re'- tained by a cam memberreciprocating in a plane extending transversely of the path ofreciprocation of the carriage. The pair of shafts and the cam member aresimultaneously actuated from a drive shaft operatively connected 'tosaid pair of shafts and the cam member. The cam member is adjustable tovary the pitch, length and number of closed coils at one end of thespring being coiled. The mounting of the coupling member on a particularshaft of the pair of shafts determines whether the coil is left hand orright hand wound. The coupling member permits the interchanging ofarbors of different diameters which willfdetermine the diameter of thespring to be coiled.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this application: y

Figure 1 is a top View of the apparatus forming the embodiment of thisinvention.

'Figure 2 is a front elevational view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figurel 2 lookingin the direction of the arrows to show the strand of wire being guidedto and coiled upon the arbor.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 lookingin the direction of the arrows to show the operative connection betweenthe drive shaft and the pair of shafts. p

The carriage is moved Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of the upper end ofthe cam member showing a modied form of an adjustable connection betweena rack bar and cam portion of said member.

The embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing comprises a base plate 5 to be mounted on a suitable support,such as a work-bench, not shown, and arranged at one end portion withguides 6 at the opposite longitudinal edge sections for slidablysupporting a carriage in the form of a plate 1. The carriage I isarranged with a cam follower including a roller 8 rotatably mounted onone end of an arm 9 having a slot Ill therein extending from theperiphery of the roller to the opposite end of the arm for adjustableengagement 'of clamping screws II mounted in a depending flange I2 of aplate I3 secured to and spaced above the carriage 1 by spacers I4, asshown in Figure 3. The purpose of the cam follower will be describedhereinafter. The plate I3 is provided with a slot I5 for the adjustablemounting of a support and guide for a strand of wire w.

The support and guide for the strand of wire comprises a tubular ceilingpoint member I6 releasably retained in a head I1 of a post I8 adjustablymounted in a socket I9 at the upper end of avertical portion of an anglebracket having a horizontal portion adjustably mounted on the plate I3by clamping screws 2I engaged in said horizontal portion of the anglebracket and the slot I5 in the plate I 3, as shown in y'Figures 1 and 3,whereby the member I6 will have adjustments in vertical and horizontaldirections. The feed of the wire w through the member I6 is yieldinglyrestrained by passing the wire before it enters the member I6 through ablock 22 supported from the post head I7 by an arm 23 secured to theblock and head, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The wire is yieldinglyretained in the block 22 by a plunger 24 y slidable in a directiontransversely of the wire feed in said block and an angle bracket 25secured to the block 22. The plunger is yieldingly urged into engagementwith the wire by a spring 26 engaged on the plunger and compressedbetween the bracket 25 and a shoulder 21 on the plunger, as shown inFigures 1 and 2.

The wire w is guided by the member lli vto an arbor 28 releasablysupported at one end in a coupling member 29 in the form of a drillchuckremovably mounted as by screw threads Von one end of either of a pair ofshafts 30 and 3l rotatably supported in the end walls of a gear box 32mounted on the endfportion of the base and releasably supported in abracket 31 secured on the coupling member 29, as 4-shevvn in Figures 1and 2.

The carriage 1 is yieldingly retained in a position to horizontallyaline the wire guide inem ber IB with the wire engaging slot 36of theholder 35, so that the coiling of the spring on the arbor` 28 willcommence at the portion of the arbor adjacent to the slot 36. This isaccomplished -by providing an adjustable stopf in the form of a rod 38adjustable in a bracket 39 secured to the `base plate 5 and therod 38retained in adjustedv position by set-screws=45, as.'shown in Figure l.The carriage 1 is yieldingly held' against the -stopv 38 by a spring 4ianchored at the opposite ends to the: carriage 1 and the' end Wall ofthe gear box 32, `as shown in Figures l, 2v and-4. i

The movement of the carriage 1 in a direction from the stop 38 againstthe force of the spring 4i1'and the simultaneous rotation of thearbor-28 will coil the wire around thearbor.r

Movement in a direction from'the stopi 38 is imparted to the carriage 1by a vertical reciprocatory cam member comprising a rack bar 42 slidablymounted in guides 43 secured to the top wall of the gear box' 32' andthe base plate 5 relative to suitable openings in said top wall and baseplate. The rack bar is provided with camfsections 44 and 45 in the formoi'stri'ps of' different lengths pivotally connected at adjacent ends toeach other, as at 46 in Figurev 1, withk the section 440i` greaterlength than the section 45. The opposite end portionV ofthe long camsection 44 is arranged with a slot 41 for the engagement of a clampingscrew 48 threaded in an velongated block 49 secured to the back of the'rack bar to retainsaid end of the cam section 44 in adjusted position onthe upper end portion of the rack bar. The lower end of the cam section441 is adjustably connected to the lower end portion ofthe rack bar byan arm U secured at one endltoY the cam section 44 and having a slot' 5iextending inwardly from the opposite end for the engagement of aclamping screw 52 threaded in an elongated block 53 secured to the backofthe rack bar and of greater height' than the block 49 to have the arm58` overlap the cam section 44. The short cam section 45 is adjustablyconnected to the arm 50 by a depending portion 54 secured at one end tothe arm 58 and the opposite end arranged with a clamping screw 55adjustably engaged in aslot 56 in an arm 51 secured to the short cam`section 45. By the reciprocation of the rack bar 42 in an upwarddirection, the cam sections 44 and 45 will engage the roller 8 and movethe carriage in a direction from the stop 38 against the spring 4I. v

The shafts 30 and 3i are rotated in opposite directions and the rack 42is actuated in an upward direction by a drive shaft 58 rotatablysupported by the end walls of the gear box 32 and having secured thereona gear 59 meshing with the gear 34 on the shaft 3l and apinion B01meshing with 4 the teeth of the rack 42. The drive shaft 58 is rotatedin a clockwise direction looking at the right hand end of the apparatusin Figures 1 and 2 and may be actuated by suitable power means which isshown in the present illustration of the invention to be manuallytransmitted to the drive shaft through a handle 6l releasably mounted onan end of the shaft extending exteriorly of an endv wall of the gear box32.

In the operation of the apparatus, the adjustment of the stop 38 willposition the roller 8 a predetermined distance from the long cam section44.inf the lowermost position of the rack bar 42 to -V `form the desirednumber of closed coils at the lead end of the wire w by permitting thearbor 28 to be rotated by the handle Si Without trans- -f mittingmovement-to the carriage 1. The adjustment ofthe short cam section 45 bythe arm 51 will determine the number of closed coils at the rear end ofthe spring by permitting rotation of thearbor 28f`without transmittingmovement'l to the carriage TatA the end ofits forward-move ment. Thehorizontal adjustment of the armi() will determine the length of thespring. The length of travel of the rack bar 42 is adjustable by stops62 adjustably mounted on the oppositeend portions of the rack bar tovabut the top'wall of thegear box32 and the bottom4 of theA base plate 5which act-'as fixed abutments and said lengthof travel ofthe rack barwill determine the number of coils in the spring. The'angular adjustmentof the long cam section 44 will determine the pitch of the coils of thespring.

When it is desired to coil springs of very short pitch and toA coilextension and torsion springs,

the angle of adjustment ofthe long cam sectionis very nearly verticaland thisv adjustment is eflected by the use of an arm 63 to adjustablyconnect` the upper ends of the rack bar --42 and long cam section 44, asshown in' Figure 5.

When it is desired to form lefti hand springs, the coupling member 29 ismounted on the shaft 30 with the bracket 31 above the arbor 28'and theguide I6 in horizontal alinementv with the vupper surface of the arbor,as shown in Figure 2, and to forml right hand springs, the couplingmember 29 is mounted on the' shaft 3i withk the bracket'S-l l below thearbor 28 and the guide I6 in horizontal al'inement with the lowersurface of the arbor.

The use of the coupling member 29 in the form of a drill-chuck willpermit the mounting `of arbors of different diameters and the diameterof the arbor will determine the diameter of tl're spring.

After' completing the ceiling of a spring which is determined by thelower stop 82 abutting the base plate 5, the formed spring isseveredfrom ther wire w and the ends of thev spring are clipped by wirecutters.

When it is desired to coil springs from wireI-:of large diameter ofgreat stiffness, the handle 6I`or other power means is connected toanend portion 61 of the shaft 38 extending exteriorlyof the fgear box. f

To reduce the speed of return of the rack bar 42 to its normal startingposition with the upper stop 62 abutting the top wall of the gearboxf32, counterweight 84 is connectedv to the llower end of the rack bar42 by a strap: 85 extended arounda pulley 66' loosely mounted on theshaft 38.

Having thus described my inventionJ claim'.

In apparatus to coil springs from a strand?F of wire, a reciprocalcarriage yieldingly retained in one extreme position, aguidefadjustablymounted on the carriage tosupport and guide thefstrandfwire in a, direction transversely of the path of reciprocation of thecarriage, a pair of rotary shafts extending in a plane parallel to thepath of reciprocation of the carriage, meshing gears secured on the pairof shafts to operatively connect the shafts to each other and cause theshafts to rotate in opposite directions, an arbor arranged to bereleasably mounted on either shaft of the pair of shafts, a memberrotatable with the arbor and arranged to retain the lead end of the wirestrand extended from the guide in fixed position on the arbor, a driveshaft extending parallelly of one of the pair of shafts, a gear securedon said drive shaft and meshing with the gear on said parallel shaft ofthe pair of shafts, a pinion secured on the drive shaft, a rack barreciprocally mounted in a plane extending transversely of the axes ofthe shafts and meshing with the pinion on the drive shaft, a camadjusta-bly connected to the opposite end portions of the rack bar, anda cam follower on the carriage to engage said cam portion, whereby thecarriage is moved a predetermined distance simultaneously with therotation of the arbor.

HAROLD C. R. CARLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 292,799 Fishering Feb. 5, 1884379,393 Harvey Mar. 13, 1888 468,573 Millett Feb. 9, 1892 803,132 RaloerOct. 31, 1905 923,563 McCornacl; June 1, 1909 1,238,445 Scholl Aug. 28,1917 1,368,297 Sleeper Feb. 15, 1921 1,447,299 Freeman Mar. 6, 19232,459,504 Ghetto Jan. 18, 1949

